Down the Rabbit Hole
by Sci F.I. Warper
Summary: There was always a price to the exchange...." A few months after Hatter and Alice are reunited and living a somewhat normal life, when trouble comes knocking on their door in the guise of a Wonderland acquaintance.
1. The beginning

AN: Hello, so I just saw "Alice" and fell desperately in love with the Hatter (Alice was cool too). So, I just had to continue the adventure. Behold, a brand new fic. So, this is going to be a little complicated...the _**bold italic**_ stuff is the "narrator" (you'll meed them eventually, so don't worry too much) _Italic_ is thoughts or memories. And the rest is regular text. Anywho, so I own nothing but my own deviant imagination. So please, read , review, and enjoy!

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**_There was always a price to the exchange, for the movement between their world and ours. The old Kings and their Queens had known the cost, but in the end had judged the risk to faint. Few ever found the crossroads of the worlds. The Hearts cared little either way, to obsessed with their own gratification and that which they forced on the rest of the world. They made foolish use of the roads. Caterpillar and his rebels saw only a glimpse of the cost in those years, the tiniest glimpse. When the Queen of Hearts fell and the Jack assumed the throne, they did what they could to heal the wounds they could see. Who could have known the cure to Wonderland's disease had wandered off to the Sea of Making-Believe?_**

**_*********************  
_**

"Ha-David, can you help me?" Alice Hamilton called out to the figure leaning against the opposite wall of the dojo. The man glanced up, his dark hair sticking up wildly without even a hat to mimic tameness. He grinned at her, straightening up before pulling uncomfortably at the sleeves of his karategi. For a second, a rush of warmth ran through Alice as she was reminded of the first time she saw him. As he crossed the hardwood floor of the dojo there was a puzzled demeanor to his movements which did little to mask the mischief glittering in his dark brown eyes.

"Stand there," Alice ordered, pointing to the space on the mat in front of her student, "I need a partner to throw."

"As you wish," Hatter replied, nodding to her before taking position where she pointed. Alice shook her head.

In the weeks following his departure from Wonderland (they never really discussed Wonderland's name for her world and neither could bring themselves to call it something like Oyster-land), Hatter had set to work learning all he could about Alice's world. What seemed to fascinate him most were films and television. There was nothing really like them in Wonderland. He told her once it was like looking through the Looking Glass and being able to see the world you were about to drop into. While she disagreed with him on that point (the Wonderland of her experience had been nothing like that of the childrens book much less the Disney cartoon) she continued to be amused by the sheer wonder he showed whenever he watched a new movie or tv show. She was so amused, in fact, she refrained from kicking his butt despite the million-and-one question he would ask while the movie or show played.

Two weeks ago, she had finally suggest they have an at-home date watching one of her favorite movies, "The Princess Bride". Hatter had taken to the film like milk to tea. After an endless round of questions and commentary following Indigo and Wesley's duel, Alice had finally tossed a handful of popcorn at him.

_"Wot was that for?" Hatter exclaimed_, _his attention momentarily averted from the screen._

_"You talk too much," Alice replied, frowning mockingly so he'd know she wasn't really angry with him, "Most people sit back and watch the movie quietly!" _

_She put emphasis on the last word, sitting back against his shoulder. Even without his jacket on, he still radiated heat. It felt wonderful through the thin material of her t-shirt._

_"I'm not most people," he responded, taking his own handful of popcorn and promptly dumping it on her head. Alice let out a small yelp, pulling away from him and shooting him a glare._

_"No," she agreed, brushing the bits of kernels away, "You're not. You're more annoying."_

_"Ey, now! That really hurt!" Hatter exclaimed, lifting his right hand to cover his chest. Alice smirked._

_"Fine, I apologize," she paused before raising a finger to quickly add, "If you promise not to say another word the rest of the movie."_

_Hatter's jaw dropped momentarily as he tried to think of something to say. Glancing over at the screen, Alice watched a small glint of something pass through his eyes. Looking back at her, he nodded._

_"As you wish," he said, settling back in the couch._

Since then, he had taken to periodically repeating the phrase anytime she asked him to do something. It was annoying as hell, but somehow he managed to do with such sincerity Alice couldn't help but smile at him. It had become their private joke.

Hatter, or David as he was known in the "real" world, stood in position. His expression darkened into one of concentration as he grabbed the front of Alice's karategi and she grabbed his. They had practiced and presented this exercise countless times in front of the dojo's various pupils. While Hatter was technically a beginner, Alice was aware of his fighting prowess from their experience in Wonderland. What she hadn't expected, however, was just how fluidly Hatter could move when he wanted to. In Wonderland, his fighting style was simply out-tussling, out-boxing, or out-running his opponent. It was simple, quick, dirty fighting that lacked the grace Alice had been trained to use. It surprised her, then, when he adapted beautifully to the fluid movements of Karate. It was almost as though he had been trained in something like it before.

She had asked him about it once and once had been enough. There were some parts of his past Hatter had been willing, sometimes even happy to share. He had told her about his childhood and how his parents fell in and out of favor with the Hearts. He told her how he had inherited his hat (which he later recovered from Wonderland) from his beloved uncle, who had been driven loony for unknown reasons. He told her about the first day he opened his tea shop, before teas were infused with the addicting emotions. He told her how he came to meet Dodo and the "daring escapades" he went through to feed the resistance. The only thing he never told her was what happened in the years between his parent's deaths and the tea shop. He was never exactly angry when she asked about anything pertaining to those years, but he would always stiffen and turn away from her when asked about them. Sometimes, he would mumble something she never could quite hear and then immediately change the subject to something else. Other times he would become overly cheerful, tipping her off that whatever memory she might have brought up upset him. During moments like that, she would simply hug him, allowing him to cling to her a little too tightly.

Lowering her hip to give herself the right angle, Alice used her remaining momentum to throw Hatter down to the mat. As she let go, she felt him shift slightly as he moved. Turning slightly, he angled his fall, allowing himself to roll out of it as he landed. Jumping to his feet, he brushed off his sleeve and looked up at her.

"Anythin' else?" he asked, bowing.

"No, that's it," she responded, turning to the student. She sensed rather then saw him wander back to the other side of the dojo, dismissed. The class had been one short today and since he attended more then some of her other pupils, Hatter had been left without a sparing partner.

_Not that it's all bad,_ he thought to himself as he resumed his position on the wall. It gave him a chance to enjoy the real reason he ever came to the class, Alice. Though he wouldn't be caught dead calling the....activity useless (Alice's mastery of the art had saved their lives too many times for that), but he had found he truly disliked the formalities of the training. It was ordered, rule-bound, and he had enough of that in Wonderland. Besides, it was just boring and to often brought up memories of things best left forgotten. Yet he stuck around for Alice's sake. The boredom and hurt was worth seeing her glow with pride when a student mastered a new technique or to watch her nimbly move, defending herself from would-be attackers. Well worth it.

***********

The class ended soon after. Hatter remained still a moment, waiting for the others to clear out. He waited and watched as Alice walked to the window, grabbing a towel to dry her face off. As her face disappeared behind the blue fuzz, he walked up behind her, throwing his arms around her waist. The smell of sweat mingled without marring or diminishing the lavender scent of her hair. He tilted his head down to kiss the top of hers, the silky strands tickling his lips. He felt her stiffen in surprise before turning around to face him.

"What was that for?" she asked, wrapping her arms over his. He felt her palms press into the small of his back.

"Dunno," he replied, flashing her a grin, "Jus' felt like it, I guess."

She tilted her head to the side, her lips twisting in consideration. He felt her pull him closer. Her lips drew back in a sly smile.

"Is there anything else you feel like?" she asked, her tone holding the promise of all things hoped for. Her eyes seemed to sparkle. He glanced up at the ceiling for a moment, briefly considering the question.

"Pizza," he said, looking down again. Alice blinked, then burst into laughter. She dropped away from him, the moment gone but well worth the price. God, how he loved to hear her laugh.

"Pizza it is," she said, tossing him towel," Your place or mine?"

"Yer's I'd say," he replied, briefly running the cloth across his forehead. It was soft and surprisingly cool, "Yer mum's out isn't she?"

"Yeah," Alice replied, bending down to grab her duffel bag, "Vacationing with the girls. How did you know?"

"Must've told me," Hatter replied, throwing the towel over his shoulder. It was a lie, though. He had made sure Alice would never know about the tabs he kept on her and her mother. It wasn't something born of jealousy or possessiveness (though sometimes it seemed that way), but rather for their protection. If things had gone differently in Wonderland and he'd been forced to hide in Alice's world, there were still things that could extend their reach beyond the borders of the glass. Things that could and would hurt Alice and Carol if he wasn't weary of them.

"Yeah, I-I guess," replied Alice, frowning, "Well, I'm going to go change and then we can get pizza."

"Sounds good," Hatter replied smiling. He pulled up his own duffel bag over his shoulder as Alice leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"How did I get lucky enough to find you?" she asked, before walking off to the pseudo-locker room. Hatter watched her go, tightening his grip on the bag.

"You weren't the lucky one," he said to empty air.

**************

The smell of pepperoni and anchovy pizza was enough to make two stomach rumble in anticipation. The pair grinned at each other as the elevator dinged on the third floor of Alice's apartment building. Shuffling themselves, two bags, and a hot pizza box out of the small space, neither noticed the figure sitting midway down the hall.

It was only when the doors closed behind them that the figure made his appearance known with a soft, "Hello, Alice."

Alice jumped, looking up. Her heart began to pound suddenly as she recognized an all too familiar profile.

"Jack?"


	2. Grim tidings

A.N. Yay! New chapter! So, I'm giving fair warning (before you get to expectant) that I probably won't put new chapters up as fast as this. I will try to get them up asap, but my schedule keeps me pretty busy. Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed. I hope you guys love this next chapter.

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The King of Hearts smiled almost bitterly at the sound of his name. Pushing himself up from his seat in her doorway, he turned towards the couple.

"You're looking well," he replied, his tone soft and precise. It completely contrasted the rest of him. Alice felt herself grown uncharacteristically cold as she took in the state of Wonderland's new King. Jack's normally well-styled, bright blond hair was now mussed and streaked with bits of dirt. A thin scratch lay visible just below his hairline. He wore dark blue jeans that seemed the worse for wear below a mangled, button-down blue shirt covered by a geometric pattern. One sleeve of the shirt was rolled down. The other was marked by a long, violet-colored stain.

"My God! Jack!" Alice exclaimed, shoving the pizza box and her bag into Hatter's arms, "What happened to you?"

She ran to her ex, catching him as he teetered forward. He grimaced as she touched his shoulder, but allowed her to lean him up against the cool metal of the frame.

"Jack, what happened?" Alice repeated herself, glancing him over. She saw that he seemed to favor supporting his weight on one foot, leading her to suspect he may have sprained the other, "What are you doing here?"

"Couldn't trust the hospital," he replied, his voice sounding almost bemused. He looked up at her, a dark seriousness filling his blue eyes, "The mirror is broken, Alice."

"Wot?" a male voice sounded behind her, startling her. Glancing back, Alice saw Hatter right behind her glaring daggers towards the injured king, "Wot do you mean 'it's broken'?"

Alice glanced back at jack, wanting to know the answer as well. She watched a brief glimmer of contempt flicker across his face only to be replaced by a sudden, almost weary sadness.

"I mean what I say, Hatter," he replied, the sadness coloring his tone. It was the first time he let any sort of real emotion filter into his voice, "The Looking Glass....it's broken. The barrier between the world's is gone."

Alice pulled back, stunned by the statement. Glancing back at Hatter, she felt her blood run cold watching him suddenly turn pale at the words. Her heart felt as though it skipped a beat or two as she tried to comprehend the meaning of the words.

"No," she heard Hatter breath, letting his bag slip down from his shoulder and increase the weight on his arms, "No, yer lyin'."

"I wish I were," replied Jack.

"Wait, wait," Alice interjected, aware that the news in and of itself was bad. Yet the two men's reactions seemed to imply more then just a door to Wonderland being broken, "You mean the Looking Glass is broken, literally? How?"

"Shattered into a million pieces," Jack responded, his voice dropping to whisper, "The details are unimportant."

"They're damn well import'nt!" Hatter exclaimed, pressing in behind Alice. She gave him a shove back, feeling claustrophobic and becoming more aware this was to the place to be having this conversation. However, Jack's voice brought her back to attention.

"Alice," Jack continued, ignoring the outburst, "The door between Wonderland and this world is gone. I...." he paused to look up at Hatter, "And he are trapped here."

Alice stared at Jack, a cold and hot chill running through her at the words. Wonderland was gone. Well, not exactly gone but inaccessible it seemed. She looked back at Hatter, feeling her chest squeeze painfully. He had backed away from them, falling back against the wall. His face a fallen, both pained and stunned. The pizza box lay discarded on the ground beside her as well as the bags. She watched as he reached up, pulling the hat off so he could run his right hand through his messy hair. He paused, pulling the hand down to stare at it. In that moment, he looked to Alice like nothing more than a lost little boy.

It was enough to shock her into action. Turning around, she grabbed hold of Jack's arm, swinging it over her shoulder. She felt him wince as she gingerly wrapped her free arm around his side. _One or two ribs bruised,_ she thought to herself,s tarting a mental checklist of Jack's injuries. Her job as instructor at the dojo forced her to take an emergency training seminar simply due to the injuries that could occur during fights. The training told her Jack need to get to the hospital, but Alice was aware of how stubborn he could be. Plus, she felt the slightest inkling in her gut that perhaps he was right about the danger it presented.

"Okay," she said, "Hatter, grab the pizza and the bags. Jack, you're going to have to grit your teeth and help me get you in the apartment."

The two men blinked, looking at her at the same time. She couldn't help but notice the way Hatter suddenly shoved his hat on, clenching his right hand into a fist. Shooting him an annoyed glare, she began fishing through her jacket pocket. This wasn't the time for jealousy.

"Allow me," said Jack, producing the key suddenly. Alice looked at it before glancing up to glare at him. He shrugged in reply.

"Old habits," he muttered, fitting the key in the lock. Alice felt Hatter behind her, but she ignored him, her focus on moving Jack. With a little effort, the pair managed to maneuver the king into the apartment. About halfway in, Hatter suddenly appeared on his other side.

"Go get the first aid kit," he ordered, leaning over to look at Alice, "Don' worry, I've got 'im."

Alice pulled away, her neck and upper back relieved of the weight. She ran towards the kitchen. Her mother had worked as a nurse once upon a time and as such, kept a well-furnished first aid kit in the left drawer beside the sink. Pulling out the large, white box, Alice turned and headed towards the living room. Hatter had managed to set Jack down on the couch, stepping out of the way at her approach.

Setting down on her knees beside him, Alice once again looked Jack over. The king's eyes were now closed, though his breathing was still normal. She realized he looked a good deal paler then the last time she had seen him and that a bruise was beginning to darken the edge of his left eye. Frowning, she opened the kit.

"Hatter, get me a couple rags, soaked in hot water," she ordered, "Put soap on one of them."

If he had any arguments towards helping Jack, they seemed to have died away with the news of the Looking Glass. Without so much as a sound, Hatter walked off towards the kitchen. A few moments later, Alice heard the water running.

"Thank you," Jack suddenly said, causing her to jump in surprise. Glancing down, she saw the man's eyes were open again. He was making no efforts this time to disguise his discomfort, "I had no intention of bringing you into this, Alice, but I knew of no one else in this world to turn to. You've done so much for us already..."

"Jack," Alice interrupted, pulling out supplies from the kit to distract herself from the praise, "Don't talk. You're injured."

The comment caused a slight chuckle to emanated from Jack, only to be buried by another grimace. Momentarily embarrassed, Alice reached for his shirt. Shooting him an apologetic look, she gently pulled the surprisingly coarse material up his torso until she saw the edges of a large bruise forming on his side. Looking back up at him, she found Jack staring stoically back at her.

"This might hurt," she warned, gently brushing the bruised area with her fingertips. She heard a sharp intake of breath from Jack, but thankfully felt no edges or bits of bone. Relieved she pulled the shirt back down slightly and turned her attention to his leg. Repeating the same procedure, she found his left ankle was already beginning to swell.

" 'ere you go," Hatter's voice sounded above herr. She turned to find not only two towels (one white and one soapy and red) but also an ice pack from the freezer. Looking up at his face, she saw his eyes darken and his jaw stiffen as he examined Jack. Smiling up at him, she patted his arm reassuringly before taking the ice pack. Using some wraps from the kit, she gingerly placed the pack on Jack's ankle and tied them into place. Deciding there was little she could do about the bruising on his side, she turned her attention to his face. Using the two towels, she cleaned the gash. Applying antibiotic ointment to the wound, she bandaged it and used the remaining wrap on his side. when she finished, she sat back on her heels.

Jack's eyes were closed again, his breathing even but too fast for sleep. Letting out a sigh, Alice ran a hand over her face. Another hand settled on her should and she looked up to meet Hatter's sad brown eyes. He motioned to the kitchen, not waiting for Alice to stand before walking off.

"You okay?" she asked, knowing the answer as she approached him. He was leaning against the counter, the lost boy look on his face again. He glanced up at her comment.

"Fine," he replied, his voice cracking with false cheerfulness, "Jus' bloody fine, Alice."

She walked up to him, raising a hand to his face. He closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of her touch. The world had become a much darker place in the short span of an hour. Before, he could go in between the worlds at, well, the drop of a hat. Not that he ever needed to get away from Alice, but he had always taken comfort in the fact he could take needed time away in Wonderland, whether to cool off, relax, or think. There was something important in reconnecting with his own world or universe that not even Alice could do for him. Wonderland was home, even with its dangers and histories. Now, according to Jack at least, there was now way to reconnect to that. Hatter found himself almost completely abandoned. He was now a man without a past, but thankfully still holding a future.

"I have to see," he said quietly, covering Alice's hand with his own, "I have to see the mirror."

"Okay," replied Alice. He shot her a double take in surprise.

"Wot?"

"I said okay," alice replied, though she looked for all the world like it was the last thing she wanted, "You should. I'll...." she glanced at Jack, "I'll keep an eye on Jack while your gone. Maybe....Maybe you can find us some answers."

'Alice," Hatter began.

"Go, she interrupted, dropping her hand to gesture at the door, "Go."

"Alice," he started again, gratitude filling his expressive eyes. He leaned over, gently kissing her.

"I'll be back soon," he whispered, pressing his forhead to hers. Straightening, he ran to the door, hollering for her to lock it when he left. A moment later, she was alone. With nothing but Jack's breathing as her only company.


	3. The pieces fall apart

_**Old Man Time never comes around anymore. He hasn't for ages and ages. Oh to be sure, the Queen of Hearts summoned him a time or two and King Jack makes a show of public invitation, but the old man still refuses to visit. He used to give the Queen excuses, some of them possibly true. There were crumbs in his watch one day. On another, someone pulled out all the workings and replaced them with butter and jam. Everything ran too slow THAT day. He doesn't even bother giving an excuse to Jack. He just sits and watches the Sea.**_

_**********************_

Hatter flew down the stairwell as fast as his feet could carry him. He barely broke stride even when he tripped on the final concrete steps, scooting sideways across the sidewalk to maintain his balance. Turning left, he ran down the alley towards the building housing the Looking Glass.

He hadn't exactly been lying when he told the EMTs he was a construction worker. True, he had never actually worked on constructing the building, but he had worked for those who commissioned its creation. All things being relative, it was as close to the truth as he could come up with.

Before Jack had managed to sneak the Stone of Wonderland out from underneath his mother's nose, the Hearts had been putting a plan in motion to draw more oysters into the Casino. The mirror had been circulated around the Oyster's world several times before finally being brought to San Francisco. Here, it was not only possible to find large captures of oysters, but the access to the water and the population as a whole permitted the taking of ones no one would miss, the immigrants and the outcasts. Here, the Hearts commissioned an apartment building to be constructed for use as both a guard tower and a lure. The building size could be used to isolate the mirror from the city's nosy inhabitants, while the cheap rent would attract possible renters whose disappearance might usually go unquestioned. Likewise in might have provided a home base for those under the Heart's employ to infiltrate the Oyster's world and invite Oyster's to the Looking Glass.

With Jack in power, however, only the first half of the plan was enacted. The "apartment complex" had become converted into "rented office space" already rented out. Hatter had been placed as subsequent "guardian" of the mirror on the Oyster's side. It was a dull responsibility since no one in Wonderland wanted to travel the border and most Oysters seemed smart enough no to go bumbling into buildings they had no right to be in. On the other hand, though, it gave him the chance to be with Alice.

Unlocking the glass door to the building, Hatter ran towards the back stairwell. The heels of his shoes clacked against the black linoleum, echoing ominously into the darkness. He didn't bother turning on the lights, having memorized the path. His right hand balled into a fist.

At the bottom of the stairs was a hall. This time he paused, feeling along the cold black brick wall until he felt a switch. Flipping it up, the room became bathed in white light. The long hall extended out about thirty feet, black walls lining a concrete floor. Parallel fluorescent rods hung along the sides of the wall in increments of five feet, extending all the way down to a plain wood door. Putting a hand to his neck, Hatter fiddled a moment with the chain around it. Fishing the length of the chain out from beneath his shirt, he pulled out a slender bronze key.

With the redesign of the building, Jack had ordered the area around the Looking Glass to be sectioned off from the rest. A special chamber was constructed around it, containing only one door for which only two keys existed. The first belonged to Jack, the other to Hatter. It was a design meant to ensure no fugitive might flee Wonderland nor another Oyster accidentally fall into it. Walking to the door, Hatter fitted the key into the lock. Turning it slowly, he felt his breath halt as the catch released. Grasping the brass handle in an iron grip, he pulled the heavy door open.

The room looked very much the same as it had when he found Alice. No finery or furniture had been used to decorate the space or make it the least enticing. It remained very much a left over construction site. The only difference was the shattered glass along the floor.

Hatter stared at the damage, his body frozen. The golden ornate frame remained leaning against the back wall, empty. In front of it, the ground lay covered in a ribbon of varying silver shards. Some were rather large, extending either the full length or width of the mirror, while other were simply powder. Carefully, Hatter inched his way along the front edge of the room, his back pressed against the wall. Even through his jacket, the cold pricked against his back like needles. Coming to a stop a few inches from the door, he learned to breathe again. An overwhelming, coppery stench filled the air so thickly he could taste it. Pressing further back against the wall, he resisted the urge run. He dared not risk anything but gentle movements, afraid to damage the pieces of the already destroyed mirror. Looking at the shards and breathing quickly through his mouth, his eyes fell on the center of the ribbon. There, among the finely powdered bits of glass, he could make out a brown stain.

***************

Alice rubbed the upper half of her arms in a half-hearted attempt to stay warm. Leaning back in the chair she had dragged beside the couch, she glanced over at Jack's sleeping frame. The man had fallen asleep practically the minute Hatter left, most likely passing out from the pain, and leaving her unable to question him in private. She frowned, bringing her cupped hands up to her lips to blow on them. She had begun to fill chilly right after Hatter disappeared and had turned the thermostat up to eighty. It hadn't helped and not even her plum jacket (the one Hatter had rescue from Wonderland along with his hat) could keep her warm. She had checked Jack, afraid to put a blanket on him and aggravate his wounds unless needed, but found him comfortably warm.

Rubbing her palms together, she stood up. Glancing over at her mother's wall length mirror, she studied her reflection. A light blue tank-top beneath a thin white blouse poked out from beneath the plum jacket over a pair of form-fitting black jeans. A pair of red tennis shoes poked out from beneath the black material, matching the small ruby hanging on a gold chain at her neck. It had been a gift from Hatter on their three month anniversary, taken from the northern mines of Wonderland. Fingering the smooth stone, she walked over to the thermostat. With an irritated sigh, she turned the heat to ninety. Silently looking to the door, she wished Hatter would hurry up.

***************

"He sits by the Sea and watches with the waves," said the woman standing at the edge of the white beach. She seemed young, particularly in respect to her companion, but her dark eyes were old and sharp. She wore a simple robe, checkered in red and white, with a plain golden belt around her waist. Her hair pooled down her back in waves of crimson, a few strands blowing freely like scratch along her pale face. She glanced up at her companion, "His time is almost done and the King is nowhere to be found."

"He'll return," her companion replied, reaching up to tug on his beard, "He'll return with help."

The young woman looked up, her mulberry red lips narrowing in a frown.

"I hope you're right," she said softly.

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A.N. Yay, new chapter finished! Now the mystery deepens, mwhahahaaaa! As always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review! Till next time....


	4. the center cannot hold together

Someone was pounding on the door. Alice groaned, shifting in her seat and opening her eyes blearily. She felt hot. Blinking, she pulled her right hand out from beneath her bedroom blanket to rub her eyes. Glancing at the sleeve, she realized she was wearing her plum jacket. _Why do I have this on? _she thought, _and why is this blanket out here? What time is it? _Tossing the blanket to the floor, she pealed off the jacket. Looking around the dimly lit room, her eyes fell on Jack. Instantly, the events of the evening crystallized through the haze of sleep. _Jack! oh God, how long was I out? Why is it so hot in here? Where's Hatter?_

"Alice!" a familiar voice joined the pounding, as if on Que, "Alice, open the door!"

The pounding grew louder, almost as though someone were hitting the door with a sledgehammer. Alice stood, a wave of dizziness washing over her. She paused, grabbing the edge of the chair with one hand and grasping her head with the other. Her forehead was drenched with sweat. She closed her eyes, allowing the dizziness to pass. Looking at Jack, she took a tentative step towards him. When the dizziness didn't return, she moved closer, intent on making sure he was alright.

"Alice!" the voice on the other side of the door had taken on a note of panic, "Alice, it's Hatter! Open the door!"

The door rattled with the pounding. Looking towards it, Alice immediately changed directions._ If Hatter keeps this up, the neighbors are going to call the cops_, she thought.

"Hatter, calm down," she called out, approaching the door. She paused a moment before touching the lock, not in the mood to get hit by it, "Hatter, calm down, I'll let you in."

The pounding subsided and she reached for the handle. Swinging the door open, she was in time to catch a momentary flash of relief cross Hatter's face. As quickly as it was there, however, it vanished, replaced with one of annoyance.

"Wot the bloody hell are you doin' not answerin' the door then?" he exclaimed, barging into the room past her. Alice jerked, her face narrowing into a glare.

"I'm sorry," she replied, her tone biting with irritation, "I fell asleep."

"Right," responded Hatter, almost distractedly as he looked around the room, "Where's Jack?"

"On the couch. What's going on?" Alice replied, her tone gentler then before. She caught a glimpse of Hatter's face, seeing the agitated movement of his too wide eyes. She approached him slowly, taking his hand in hers, "What did you find?"

Hatter looked down at their joined hands for a moment. An unreadable emotion peaked across his profile, before he closed his eyes to gain control of his breathing. He's worried, Alice realized to herself. Which meant whatever he found was far worse then Jack had implied.

Looking up at her, she saw Hatter's face had been drawn back into a serious frown. His brown eyes were muddled now; laced with confusion, fear, and a dash of just barely constrained anger. The combination merged to give the dark orbs just a glint of madness. For the first time since she'd known him, Alice felt a twinge of fear towards Hatter.

"More questions then answers," he replied, gently squeezing her hand.

Turning away from her, he stalked towards Jack's prone form. Alice took a step to follow him and paused. Walking over to the thermostat, she turned the temperature down from ninety to sixty. _I'll have to call a repair man to fix that, _she thought, not remembering turning it up herself. Glancing up, she saw Hatter pull of his jacket and toss it across the back of the chair she'd been sitting on. Taking the seat, he tipped back his hat and grabbed hold of Jack's free hand, jerking it forcefully towards him. The king let out a low moan at the sudden movement, opening his eyes. He looked at Hatter with confusion, before turning his eyes on Alice. They were filled with pain.

"Hatter!" Alice called, crossing the room as her boyfriend reached across the couch to to grab at the king's other arm, "Hatter, what are you doing?"

Again, Hatter seemed not to hear her as he pulled the weakened king's hands to his face, examining them. For his part, Jack tried to pull free of Hatters hold without hurting himself further. His side ached as he bit down a cry barreling its way up his throat. Stiffening his jaw, he tried to rotate himself to a position of better leverage. Hatter held him tightly, his eyes gleaming almost to the point of madness, the family curse.

"Hatter, stop," Alice ordered, grabbing hold of his arms, "Hatter, let him go!"

Surprisingly, he listened. Releasing his hold on Jack, Hatter slummped back in the chair. Alice kneeled beside him, stunned and worried. Falling back himself, Jack gingerly pushed himself up on the couch. His ribs ached still and his wrist had begun to join them. Glaring over Hatter, he found his anger washed away with sudden wave of pity and surprise. The madness that had appeared in the fellow man's eyes was gone now, apparently mastered and caged by the etheral beauty that had ensnared himself once upon a time. Now, Hatter's eyes were simply wide with an almost child-like confusion.

"There was blood, Alice," he choked, his voice almost haunted, "On the Glass. The entire room smelled of it. I saw it on the mirror."

He stared at Alice, his expression making her heart both plummet to her stomach and constrict in sympathetic pain. She had never seen him so out of it before. Even when he found her in the casino, beaten and bruised as he was, he still had a purpose and sense to guide himself by. Now, he just looked lost. Blinking, she reached up to run a hand through his hair, before resting it on his cheek. She realized that now he was going through the nightmare she had gone through. The sudden, horrible realization that one might never see any part of one's world ever again. She remembered the crushing fear the realization brought her and the way he had promised to make sure he was okay. God only knew how far she would go to do the same for him.

"And you just assumed the blood was mine?" Jack spoke up suddenly, a hint of offense hardening the words like steel. The pair turned a simultaneous glare at him.

"I wonder what could have given him that idea, Jack," said Alice, her tone cold and defensive, "Maybe if you hadn't shown up at my door looking like you were on the loosing end of a fight...."

She paused, feeling Hatter pull her hand down. Looking at him, she saw a small, grateful smile twitch to life on his face. Nodding in Jack's direction, he squeezed her hand. Turning back to Jack, she saw he was looking down and away from her, as though ashamed.

"I'm sorry, Alice," he said, "I shouldn't have come. You have no right to be involved..."

"You keep saying that," interrupted Alice, noting the way he avoided apologizing to Hatter, "Involved in what?"

Jack looked up at her.

"Wonderland has fallen to chaos," he replied and when neither responded continued, "The Oys- your people's emotions were only the beginning. Or rather, they were the first clue to a deeper problem. Reconstruction after my mother's....regime was going smoothly..."

He paused to settle back more comfortably in the couch, "The second commands for the resistance were doing what they could to help the addicts stem off their need for emotions," He shot hatter a look of contempt. Alice felt him stiffen in response, his grip on her hand tightening, "A few weeks in, the economy was beginning to take a turn for the better and then it attacked."

"Wot attacked?" said Hatter. There were few things in Wonderland strong enough to manage a sizable assault on the inhabited portions of the world on their own. Those capable tended to be peaceful, however. Or rather, they kept to themselves in their forest domain and didn't bother anyone but those stupid enough to go wandering by themselves in the forest. If that had changed, it meant a whole new level of trouble unlike any he'd ever even heard of. Jack met Hatter's eyes, his gaze unwavering.

"The Jaberwocky," he replied.

Alice felt a chill run down her back. The Jaberwocky she remembered. The feel of utter disbelief as she ran for her life from the butt-ugly creature and the tremors beneath her feet as it chased after her. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel its hot, stinky breath and bits of spittle across her face as it roared, unable to eat her and Hatter.

"Tha's not possible," she heard Hatter exclaim, "The Jaberwocky's peaceful....mostly."

He added the last bit as Alice shot him an incredulous look.

"Peaceful!" she replied, "It tried to eat us!"

"Well, yeah, but..." Hatter began.

"You were going to use it against March!" Alice interrupted.

"Well, yes, but," Hatter continued, slightly flustered, "We were in its forest. The stupid things don't come out unless provoked."

"Be that as it may," Jack suddenly interrupted, sounding annoyed, "It did. It destroyed the cities main dock and injured several people."

Alice turned towards him, frowning. Jack met her gaze, his expression as solemn as a poker player's.

"What does this have to do with the mirror being broken?" she asked, knowing she was out of her element on Wonderland affairs. Even in helping in the downfall of the Queen of Hearts, she knew she had blundered through most of the action.

"I was about to ask the same question," said Hatter, "Ev'n if things are actin' contrary to nature...."

"It's a polution of worlds," Jack interrupted coldly, "Our world and this. This place," he paused to glance around the apartment, "Is so much younger....it's possible it's adapted to the effects. Wonderland can't. The mirror was broken to prevent the exchange, to dam the river."

"So you did break it," Hatter said, his voice growing dark.

"No," Jack replied, looking Hatter in the eye, "I never touched it.....beyond going through. I came to tell you about the decision of the court and to give you the choice of returning to Wonderland or staying here. It was broken as I came through. Hence my....state."

"Are you saying someone tried to assassinate you?" Alice interjected. Jack turned to her.

"I don't know," he replied honestly, "All I know is Wonderland is without a ruler and I have no way to go back."

"And why should we believe you?" Hatter said quietly. His eyes dropped to look at the ground between his knees, a few strands of hair falling to hide them.

"Because it's the truth," Jack replied exasperatingly, "Because....."

His voice drifted off, leaving the three in silence.

* * *

A.N. Yes, a new chapter, finally! So...there's trouble in Wonderland, big surprise. :P Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I will try updating asap. Reviews make for a happy writer!


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